Welcome to Beyond the Code, the podcast where we dive into the legal, regulatory, and ethical issues surrounding emerging technologies. Each week, we bring you in-depth conversations with industry experts, discussing the latest advancements in technology and their implications on society and the legal system. From artificial intelligence to blockchain, we’ll be exploring all the hot topics in the field. Your host, Yitzy Hammer, a lawyer and tech enthusiast, is joined by a diverse group of experts, providing valuable insight into the complex and ever-evolving world of technology.
EY’s Global Blockchain Leader Paul Brody joins Yitzy on Beyond the Code to peel back the curtain on how big companies really operate (“chaos on the inside”), why public blockchains beat private networks, and what it takes to ship serious enterprise workflows on Ethereum.
We trace Paul’s zig-zagging path—Nigeria during a coup, Apple’s textbook S&OP, a Samsung prototype with a young Vitalik—to EY’s privacy stack (Nightfall/Starlight) and his “pragmatic ETH-maxi” thesis. Also: the lore behind EY’s most coveted swag.
Paul on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/pbrody/
Paul on X: https://x.com/pbrody
Book — Ethereum for Business (in Plain English):https://www.amazon.com/Ethereum-Business-Plain-English-Generate-Management/dp/1954892101
Buenos Aires event: https://luma.com/kylnbzb8
EY Blockchain (Nightfall/Starlight code): github.com/eyblockchain ・ blockchain.ey.com
00:00 EY boxer-shorts 😄
07:06 Paul’s backstory: Africa studies → Nigeria mobile → first trip to Israel
10:49 The coup, payroll, and a Swissair IOU
13:35 “Chaos on the inside”: Samsung & big-company reality
21:33 Apple’s S&OP masterclass (sales/marketing/supply chain in lockstep)
33:48 Bitcoin → Ethereum: CES 2015 prototype with Vitalik; the light-bulb moment
37:43 EY Blockchain: services + software; why zero-knowledge privacy mattered
45:36 OpsChain, tokenizing “stuff,” notarization, contract manager; Xbox case study
51:15 “Pragmatic ETH-maxi”: why standardization and network effects matter
54:37 Enterprise Ethereum Alliance: becoming chair; back to public-chain roots
56:50 ETH as an asset; closing notes & where to follow Paul
Reach out to our global legal team and we’ll get back to you shortly, no strings attached.
